Phonograph record stroage cabinet



Nov. 13, 1951 J. PURCELL 2,574,757

PHONOGRAPH RECORD STORAGE CABINET Filed Feb. 13, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Ill! L55 JPVPCEZL,

INVENTOR flrmqwe/ L. J. PURCELL 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR HTTQF/V/ Nov. 13, 1951 PHONOGRAPH RECORD STORAGE CABINET Filed Feb. 13, 1948 Patented Nov. 13, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 2,574,757 I l PHoNoGRArH RECORD STORAGE CABINET- Lee-L-Purcell, Losr'Angeles; Calm, assign'or'to Development Corporationof America,.Los-.An-.- geles," Calilr, a corporation of California.

Application February 13, 1948, Serial No. 8,105

This invention relatesto filing-' cabinets-: for: storing disc-type phonograpn' records; and "more: particularly to a; cabinet adapted to receive a that any desired'record ontpfatlarge group may:

be selected and withdrawn'iwith the-least possible effort.

Furthermore, it. is desirabletliat' when stored, the records be prevented from sliding: against one another and be protected from dust and. otherforeign matter.v Still-1 further advantages are gained by storing 'the. records on edge, .thusto prevent warping orbending;tsuclr as may-occur if the records are stored "inzconventional albums and stacked horizontally;

Briefly my invention achieves" the foregoing.

desirable objects by providing ar'cabinet haying:

formed therein,- a"plurality'offvertical slot-like receptacles sideeby-side relationship into 1 which records may be rolledto rest on their edges therein; Acam-like member provided in conjunctionwith eacli 'sl'ot and so positioned that when a record'is perm-itt'ed'to: roll.: into place, the cam: member drops against an upper edge th'ereoffholding-therecordirr'placeuntil it is re leased by manipulation of "a=trigger-like member accessible from the front 'of' the cabinet;

A further 'desirab1efeature=='in a record cabinet of the class just described; is' tliat or"adjustability to receive records of'variousconventional sizes.

A major ob'ject'o-f "the present invention is to provide a phonographrecord cabinet of the class described having'aplurality of side-by side slotlike record receptacles and a releasableholding member for each receptacle; which cabinet "may" be readily adjusted to receive-"-records of any one of a number of sizes.

A further object of the inven-tiorristo provide a-cabinet of theclass described inwhich all 'of the records 'placed 'therein" reston-"the samesupport ing' members wherebyte' redueeth'e requisite numberof separate parts and 'to -therebyreduce the manufacturing cos'tss- F i 1 Tire-foregoing"andiother=ctie snnd adcan 14 Claims- (Cl.- 3 12-17) v 2. tagesof my invention will become more apparent from the 1 following detaileddescription taken: in connection with'the attached drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a: record cabinet embodying'theinvention;

Figure 2 is an elevational section taken-on the line 22 Figure 1;

Figure=3 is-a plansection taken-on-the line" 3--3- in Figure 2; Figure 'i'is: an'elevational fragmentary view taken. on theline'4'-4 in Fig'ureZ: 2 FigureS is an elevational section similar-1 to Figure 2=but with portions ofthecabinetthere-- inreadjusted to support the-smaller of twosizesof'records; and,

Figure-6 is 'afragmentary perspective view' or record-receiving and holdingv members employed in the device illustrated ir'rFigure 1, the parts be ing shown as viewed from therear after removal. from the cabinet.

Referring to- Figure 1; it will beseen thattlie cabinet" embodying my invention and identified by the referencechara-cter' I0; is' rectangular" shape and" provided'witl'i'two banks of record receiving slots formed as grill-like assemblies "I Each'of the grill assemblies H 'is"form"ed"by number 'ofve'rti'cal bars l2 secured by spot weld? ing or other suitablemeans to a pair ofup'per and lower angles l3 and M respectifv'el 'r, eacli of the angles l3 and being provided withscrew holes l5 at the ends thereof whereby to secure tlfe entire grill assembly ll into the cabinet I0. A vertical central'partition I 6 is'provided in the cabinet [0, thus dividing the same into two compartments each having a grill II at the front thereof. The front of the cabinet is preferably provided withjhinged doors of conventional as;- sign (not shown in the drawings). As will be hereafter described, it is a purpose of the 'presentinvention to provide a recordcab inet which is adjustable for several sizes of records; for example, ten and twelve inch records; which sizes are conventionally used on' disc phonographs. Thus in the present embodiment, two compartments are provided in the'cabi'net lll'so that one may be adjusted to receive ten' inch" records while the other is adapted to hold twelve inchrecords. It'will be realized that-the grill assembly I] could be mounted cabinets having but-a single compartment whereby' toref ceive but' asingle siz'e ofrecords for a given ad justment of the supporting mechanism to: be: de scribed.

Referring-to Figure izrit will be seen that the recordsare placed in tliepabinet by rolling themr into the space between two adjacent bars |2. As a record is placed in the slot between two adjacent bars l2, it rests on a front cross rail 2| mounted across the bottom of the cabinet. As the record 20 is pushed further into the slot, its center of gravity passes beyond the vertical plane of the cross rail 2| at which point the record overbalances and tends to roll backwardly into the cabinet. As the record rolls inwardly in this manner, it contacts a rear cross rail 22 which, as

will be seen in Figure 2, is somewhat lower than the cross rail 2|. The momentum of the moving record 20 carries it backwardly into the cabinet rolling motion, and to hold the various records in parallel relationship, each of the bars I2 is until it strikes a bumper rail 23 transversely disposed across the back of the cabinet approximate- 1y midway between the top and bottom thereof. As can be seen by the full line outline of the record 20 in Figure 2, the edge thereof isspaced from the forward cross rail 2| by the time the record contacts the bumper rail 23. strained, the record would roll back out of the cabinet until it reached a position indicated by phantom line in Figure 2 where it would rest on both the cross rails 2| and 22 and would project somewhat from the front of the cabinet.

To prevent such forward return motion of the record 20, however, a pivoted cam-like member 25 is positioned between each of the rods 2 adjacent to the upper ends thereof and extends obliquely downward to contact'the edge of the record as it rolls into the slot between two adjacent rods I2. As can be seen best in Figure 6, all of the cam members 25 are pivotallymounted on a cross rod 26 which inturn is supported on a pair of upstanding brackets 21 secured to the angle |3 as best seen n Figure 4. The cam membars 25 have a loose fit on the rod 26 whereby they tend to hang downwardly from the latter, being supported in an angular position by contact with the rearward edge of the angle l3 as best seen in Figure 2. As the record is rolled into place, contact'of the upper edge thereof with its respective cam member 25 causes the latter to rock upwardly as shown in phantom line in Figure 2, thus presenting relatively small resistance to the inward mot on of the record. As the record tends to move forwardly, however, after contacting the bumper rail 23, the fr ctional engagement of the cam member 25 causes a jamming or ratchetlike action, which prevents forward motion of the I record.

When it is desired to release any one of the records, downward pressure is applied to a trigger-like proiection 30 or 3| formed in each of the cam members 25. Such downward pressure on a trigger member 30 or 3| swings the cam member 25 clockwise (Figures 2 or 5) releasing the record and allowing it to roll forward to the position shown in phantom line in Figures 2 and 5. As can be seen best in Figure 6, the triggerlike projections 30 are angularly disposed to the trigger member 25, whereas the trigger members 3| are substantially elongations of the member 25. The cam members 25 having triggers 30 and 3| are placed alternately on the rod 26 whereby to separate the trigger 30 or 3| of adjacent cam members to facilitate digital operation thereof.

Since the cam members 25 have a relatively loose fit on the shaft 26 they would tend to become laterally displaced if not otherwise guided. To this end the rods 2 are formed at their upper ends with a backwardly extending loop 32 and all adjacent rods are interconnected by a cross bar 33 spot welded thereto or otherwise suitably secured. Thus it will be seenthat the lower end If unreformed with a V-shaped, backwardly extending bend 31 which prevents the records from twisting in the cabinet asthey enter into or exit therefrom, and furthermore, holds the records in spaced parallel relationship.

To protect the records against chipping and abrasion the upper edges of the rails 2| and 22 are covered by strips 38 of felt, sponge rubber, or other protective material. For a similar reason a strip 39 is secured to the bumper rail 23.

Further protection against abrasion may be afforded by flocking the vertical bars |2 to produce a felt-like non-abrasive surface.

In operation of the cabinet as thus far described, a record 20 is placed in a slot between adjacent vertical rods l2 and pushed back until it rolls of its own weight backwardly into the cabinet, pushing the cam member 25 upwardly and to the rear as shown in Figure 2. Upon reaching the bumper rail 23, the record rebounds slightly and is gripped by the cam member 25 and held in the position shown in full lines in Figure 2.

As previously stated, it is desirable that the supporting elements in the record cabinet be adjustable to receive records of any one of several sizes. To this end the cross rails 2| and 22 are mounted on a transverse shelf-like member 40 which may be supported on the bottom of the cabinet ID as shown inFigure 2 or alternately, may be raised and supported as shown in Figure 5 on cleats 4| secured to the sides of the cabinet and to the partition l6. Such upward adjustment of the cross rails 2| and 22 brings the upper edge of a small record 43 into proper relationship with the cam member 25 as shown in Figure 5. To accommodate the smaller diameter of the record 43 it is also necessary to move the bumper rail 23 forwardly as shown in Figure 5. For this purpose the bumper rail is secured in a pair of forwardly projecting brackets 44 which are each provided with two notches 45 whereby to receive the ends of the bumper rail 23 and support the same across the back of the cabinet either in the forward position shown in Figure 5 or the rearward position shown in Figure 2. To hold the rail 23 securely in place, it is formed with grooves 46 in the ends thereof to engage the bracket 44.

For the purpose of identifying the records so that any one of a group placed in the cabinet may be withdrawn at will, a designation strip 50 is secured across the front of the vertical rods I2 adjacent the upper ends thereof and is spot welded or otherwise suitably secured to the angle l3. Suitable indicia such as numbers or letters are placed on the designation strip adjacent each of the record-receiving slots. V

The grill members II are secured in the cabinet I0 by wood screws 5| which enter vertical cleats 52 secured to the inside ends of the cabinet ID, the inner ends of the angles l3 and I4 being secured to the partition I6 as shown in Figure 1. When it is desired to readjust a particular record compartment-to receive larger or smaller records,

thez-grill ;assembly I I tislsremoved rbys'takingwout theiswood'. screws-s51. and. zthezishelt 1'40 is'zraisedz ora lowered :asr. desirediatr corresponding adjustment being madeaotthe bumperzrail 123 The :grill as-- semblyrt l l. is. thentreplaced-randz the compartment is ready'forausezv Thus? it I will 1 be; seenfthatrzI. have provided-1a: record: cabinet" whichis: relatively Simple? to: manufacture, is. comprised-of, parts-well. suitedrtor massxproduction, and is ieasilyoperated'and readily: adjustable:

I While the-:record cabinet embodying th'e invena tioir is fully capable ofachievingtherobjects and providing the advantages hereinbeforerstated it is-realized-.-that those skilled inr-therartmay considerably' -modify-y the: device without-i departing" from the spiritof; the invention; For'thisreasorr Ido, not mean? to belimited to theiiorms shownr and described, but-rather to" therscope of the ap pended claims:

I claim 11. In a record cabinet; of." the class described:

means forming a verticalslot.shapedreceptacle' adapted to guide -a. record disc. in rollingmotion froman insertion position to-"azstorage-position in said, cabinet; releasable cam-r-meansrmounted insaid" receptacle and: positioned. to: contact. an edge of said disc, said cam means ibeing freelypivotable to permit saidf'rolling motion of said disc in aninw-ard direction-"and adapted to jam. against said disc and-prevent said motionin an outward direction; transverse: supporting-means mounted insaid cabinet adjacent the bottom thereof and adapted to support saiddisc resting onedge. thereon,: said supporting means being. ada ted and disposed: to establish :a lowermost position-of. rest-for. said disc intermediate said insertion and storagepositionsand which said disc protrudes from said. cabinet whereby to 'fa cilitate. withdrawalthereof; and transverse bumper means in said cabinet-adjacent.the-rear thereof positioned andadapted to stop said inwardly rolling disc. .with' .thesame. in. said storage position whereby said discwhen. inserted insaid 4 cabinet rolls by its own..momentum..past. said intermediate position. against-said bumper means and i'sheld by said'cam .means. in. said. storage. position.

2.. In a record cabinet of the class described:

means forming, a. vertical 'sl'dtishaped. receptacleadapted to guide a record 'disc in rollingmotion; movable cam means mountedfin saidfreceptacle and; positioned to contact an. edge of said 'record, said; cam means beingfurther adapted. to permit. said'rollingmotion in, antinward direction and. prevent said motionin an outward direction; and, apair of cross rails. mounted. in. said, cabinet. adjacentthe bottom. thereof and adapted. to. sup..- port said record disc resting on edge thereon, said rails .being disposed. to establish on intermediate position of rest for said disc in which thelatter protrudes. from .said cabinet. whereby to. facilitate withdrawal thereof, said-mails, being removably. securedto: said. cabinet .for. vertical adjustment within said... cabinetawherebyc tosupport record! said cammeans; being-further.vadaptedtorpermitf. saidarollingamotionintanainwardedirectiomandl 6.? prevent-said. :motionin :an, outward direction; a: pairiofzcross rails mounted in said cabinet adja cent the. bottomzthereof and adapted to support. said recorddisc resting on edge thereon, said rails being disposed to. establish an; intermediate.

position'of restforssaid disc in, which the latter protrudescfromsaid cabinet. whereby to facilitatewithdrawal thereof and said rails being removably securedxinisaidcabinet for vertical adjust-.-

iment. withinisaid: cabinet whereby to support recorddiscs of various diameters in operativepositi'onirelatively to saidcam means; and trans-- verse :bumper means in said cabinet adjacentthe. rear :thereof positioned and adapted to stop said inwardrolling motionxwith said disc. in a storage.

position entirely-within said cabinet'said bumper means'being removably secured in said cabinet for horizontal movement inwardly and outwardlyfrom .the'rear of said cabinet whereby to adapt the same to receive records of various sizes.

4: ma. record cabinet of the class described: a -pairof spaced vertical bars adapted to receive a'record disc therebetween and guide the same in rolling motion into said cabinet; a gravity'biased cam member pivotally mounted for free swing ing movement between said bars adjacent the upper end thereof, said cam member being adapted and positioned to contact an upper edge of said disc as it rolls into said cabinet and to jam against said edge at a point substantially forward of the highest point thereon to prevent with-- drawal-of said record from a storage position entirely within said cabinet; transverse supporting means mounted on said cabinet adjacent the a bottom thereof and adapted to support said disc resting on edge thereon, said supporting means being adapted and disposed to establish an intermediate position of rest for said disc in which the latter protrudes from said cabinet whereby to facilitate withdrawal thereof; and a transverse arecord"disc-therebetween for insertion into said cabinet, said bars'having inwardly extending bent" portionsth'erein whereby to guide said disc in rolling motion into said cabinet, a gravity biased cam member pivotally mounted for free swinging movement between said bars adjacent the upper end thereof, said cam member being adapted to contact an upper edge of said disc as it rolls into said cabinet and to jam against said edge at a point substantially forward of the highest point thereon to prevent withdrawal of said record from a 'storage'position entirely within said cabinet; and a pair of cross rails mounted in said cabinet adjacent the bottom thereof and adapted to= support said record disc resting on edge thereon; said guiderailsbeing disposed to establish'an intermediate position of rest for said disc in which thelatter protrudes from said cabinet whereby to'facilitate'the withdrawal thereof.

6. In a record cabinet of the class described:

awpair "of spaced apart vertical bars mounted in saidvcabinet: and'adapted to receive a'record disc' therebetween:ioriinsertion. into said cabinet, saidbars having inwardly extending bent portions thereiniwhereby to, guide said disc in rolling mo'- tidm into: said: cabinet;-.-: transverse-.1: supportingmeans mounted in said cabinet adjacent the bottom thereof and adapted to support said disc resting on edge thereon, said supporting means being adapted and disposed to establish an intermediate position of rest in said disc in which the latter protrudes from said cabinet whereby to facilitate withdrawal thereof; and a gravity biased cam member pivotally mounted for free swinging motion between said bars adjacent the upper end thereof, said cam member being adapted to contact an upper edge of said disc as it rolls into said cabinet and to jam against said edge at a point substantially forward of the highest point thereon to permit withdrawal of said record from a storage position entirely within said cabinet, said cam member having an outwardly projecting finger portion to permit operation thereof to disengage the same from said disc whereby to permit the latter to roll into said intermediate position.

7. In a record cabinet of the class described: means forming a box-like compartment having an open front; a grill mounted in said open front and comprised of a plurality of vertical bars secured in spaced parallel relationship to transverse mounting members, each adjacent pair of said bars being adapted to receive a record disc therebetween for insertion into said compartment, said bars having inwardly extending bent portions therein whereby to guide a record disc in rolling motion into said compartment; a pair of transverse rails mounted adjacent the bottom of said compartment and adapted to support said disc resting on edge thereon, said rails being so disposed as to establish an intermediate position of rest for said disc in which the latter protrudes from said cabinet whereby to facilitate withdrawal thereof; a transverse bumper member secured to the rear wall of said compartment and positioned and adapted to stop said inward rolling motion with said disc in a storage position entirely within said cabinet; a plurality of cam members each pivotally mounted for free swinging movement between an adjacent pair of said bars near the upper ends thereof, said cam members extending obliquely downward into said cabinet whereby each is adapted to contact an upper edge of said disc as the same is rolled into said cabinet, the angular disposition of said cam member being such as to permit rearward motion of said disc to said storage position and to effect a jamming action of said cam member against said disc at a point substantially forward and below the highest point thereon to hold the latter in said storage position, each of said cam members having an outwardly extending finger portion whereby said cam members may be selectively rocked back to disengage the same from said disc whereby to permit the latter to roll forwardly into said intermediate position.

8. The construction recited in claim 7 further characterized by having said rails and said bumper member removably secured to said cabinet walls for forward and rearward adjustment of said bumper member and vertical adjustment of said rails whereby to adapt said compartment to receive records of relatively smaller diameter in operative position with respect to said cam members.

9. In a record storage structure of the class described: a plurality of vertical separators spaced apart to form a plurality of slot-shaped receptacles each adapted to guide a record disc rolling from an insertion position to a storage position in said receptacle; a releasable cam mounted in 8'. each receptacle and positioned to contact an edge of said disc rolling in said receptacle, said cam being freely pivotable to permit inward rolling of said disc and adapted to jam against said disc and prevent outward rolling thereof; transverse members in said structure adapted to support a disc in any of said receptacles resting on edge 'on said transverse members, said members being disposed to establish a lowermost position of rest for a disc resting thereon, said position of rest being between said insertion and storage positions, and

one in which said disc protrudes from said structure to facilitate withdrawal thereof; and trans verse means in said structure forming a bumper for a record in any of said receptacles adjacent the rear thereof to stop said inward rolling of said disc with the same in said storage position whereby a disc when inserted into one of said receptacles rolls by its own momentum past said intermediate position against said bumper means and is held by said cam in said storage position.

10. The construction of claim 1 further characterized in that said transverse members are removably secured in said structure and vertically adjustable to support discs of various diameters in operative position relative to said cams.

11. The construction of claim 10 further characterized in that said bumper means is removably secured in said structure and horizontally adjustable to adapt said receptacles to receive discs of various diameters.

12. In a record storage structure of the class described: a pair of spaced vertical bars adapted to receive a record disc therebetween and guide the same in rolling motion into the space between said bars; a gravity-biased cam pivotally mounted for free swinging movement between said bars adjacent the upper end thereof, said cam being adapted and positioned to contact the upper edge of said disc as it rolls into said space and to jam against said edge at a point substantially forward of the highest point thereon to prevent withdrawal of said record from a storage position entirely within said space; transverse supporting means mounted in said structure adjacent the bottom thereof and extending across said space to support said disc resting on edge in said space, said supporting means being adapted and disposed to establish an intermediate position of rest for said record in which the latter protrudes from said space whereby to facilitate withdrawal thereof; and a transverse bumper member mounted in said structure adjacent the rear thereof, said bumper extending across said space to stop inward rolling motion of a record in said space with said record in a storage position entirely within said cabinet,

said record being held in such storage position by said cam.

13. In a record storage structure of the class described: a pair of spaced apart upright bars mounted in the front of said structure and adapted to receive a record disc therebetween for insertion into the space between said bars, said bars having inwardly extending portions to guide said disc in rolling motion into said space; a gravity-biased cam pivotally mounted for free swinging movement between said bars adjacent the upper end thereof, said cam being adapted to contact an upper edge of said record as it rolls into said cabinet and to jam against said edge at a point substantially forward of the highest point thereon to prevent withdrawal of said record from a storage position at a rearmost limit 9 within said space; and a pair of cross members mounted in said space adjacent the bottom thereof adapted to support said record resting on edge therein, said members being disposed to establish an intermediate position of rest for said record in which the latter is forward of said storage position and protrudes from said space in order to facilitate the withdrawal thereof.

14. The construction of claim 13 further characterized by having a bumper extending across said space adjacent the rear thereof to halt said record in said storage position, said record being retained therein by said cam.

LEE J. PURCELL.

10 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,082,361 Robinson Dec. '23, 1913 1,449,922 Tresnak Mar. 27, 1923 1,543,738 Underwood June 30, 1925 2,352,710 Hart July 4, 1944 2,402,044 Heckman June 11, 1946 2,402,076 Painter June 11, 1946 

